Open Doors
by FromDustReturned
Summary: It's the night of the Great Thaw, and neither Anna nor Elsa are coping as well as they'd like to pretend. The setting of the sun lets loose all the worst kinds of monsters - those that manifest themselves in the mind. Anna is searching for redemption (and a hug), and Elsa is piecing together a shattered world. Short fic (2-3 ch). Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Possible TW: PTSD**

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Anna couldn't stop smiling. Every time she saw an open window, and every time she ran her hand along the wall and it came back without dust, she was reminded of the open gates, and the people who had poured through them. It had been so much fun, and now… now there was no reason to think that it couldn't happen again! Sure, this time had been a bit of disaster, but practice made perfect and Anna silently vowed that there would be lots of practice. Lots.

She stood at the front door now, the frame towering above her. The sun was setting, and soon she knew she wouldn't be able to see the top anymore. She didn't care though. All that mattered now was what lay beyond. The gates stood in front of her, open, waiting for the world to come through.

_Tomorrow_. The plans had been made, posters were being spread through the city, and a carriage was being prepared. She and Elsa would be leaving the castle together, going out into the town, and visiting the townspeople. Anna knew that the trip wasn't really meant to celebrate anything, and that it was meant to assess the damage just as much as it was meant to meet the people – and have the people meet them – but she couldn't help but be excited. She would be celebrating, and Elsa would too. She would make sure of it! And even if she didn't get to celebrate as much as she wanted to, she was already making plans for another ball next week. Kristoff's sleigh would be ready by then, and they could hold it in the front courtyard. Everyone would be invited. All villagers, all the servants, all the remaining dignitaries… well, not all of them.

Anna glanced down at her bare feet, the smile slipping from her face. The Duke of Weselton wouldn't be invited. He was currently locked in a guest room, with two guards stationed outside. And the Prince of the Southern Isles…

She took a step backwards, her arms wrapping around herself against the sudden chill that swept through her. She ground her teeth, refusing to let them chatter even as a shiver made it's way up her spine. _Happy thoughts_. A party. There would be a celebration, with fruits and cakes and juice and chocolate and sandwiches – _happy thoughts, Anna, you can do this!_

It wasn't enough. Everything was a reminder, the moon slowly rising, the barely visible masts waiting by the docks, the open gates, the very halls which she called home. Tears sprung to her eyes as she turned abruptly, a ringing of metal on metal in her ears that she didn't want to understand. She was far from happy, so far from being able to smile, not even able to pretend. She wasn't happy at all… she was scared. She was scared that the metal bars weren't enough, and that the four guards stationed somewhere beneath her had no chance, no _hope_, against the monster they kept chained behind them. They didn't know him like she did, they would have no way of stopping his silver tongue, his graceful body, his perfect smile.

Anna gasped, stumbling to a halt. She hadn't even realized she had been running. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She needed to stop thinking irrationally, she needed to stop panicking for no reason. The guards were perfectly capable, she knew that. The iron bars weren't going to yield against a quiet voice or gentle touch.

The ghost of a hand cupped Anna's cheek and her eyes snapped open, her heart stuttering in her chest. Only darkness stood in front of her, but it did nothing to stop the fear crawling through her veins, freezing her where she stood. The hallway was too dark, too quiet, and far too empty. She needed to go somewhere else, somewhere safe, where she could be happy and excited for tomorrow. Somewhere safe… _Elsa_. Her door would be open now, Anna was sure of it. She could go in, and Elsa would tell her that everything was alright, and that she was safe, and loved, and _forgiven._

Her mind made up, Anna began a brisk walk through the maze of corridors and stairs that led to her sister's room. She knew every path that led there, from every corner of the castle. In a fit of boredom at age fifteen, shortly after her parents death, she had even timed all the different routes. She would be there in just under three minutes, ample time during which she could compose herself. She couldn't be a mess of nerves when she showed up, that would hardly be a good… third impression.

She shivered again, and sped up her pace, trying not to run. It was summer, and she really shouldn't be this cold, even in her silk nightgown. Maybe she could borrow Elsa's robe, or a blanket. Slippers would be nice too, and a hat if possible. Did Elsa even own a hat? Anna had never seen her go outside until yesterday after the coronation, and she hadn't been wearing one then. She frowned. There must be a hat, somewhere. Kai, who always pestered her about being warm, would have made sure of it.

She rounded the last corner, and began the final ascent to Elsa's door. She was still afraid of the silence chasing her, and was afraid to look behind her and see _him_ standing there, as though the past few hours had been a dream. Despite this, however, Anna could feel her excitement mounting with every step. Her childhood dream was about to come true. She was going to see Elsa…

Her foot found the last stair and she froze, looking down the corridor in confusion. The doors were shut, and all the windows latched tight. The only light came from the crack at the bottom of a closed door, spilling weakly across the carpet.

Suddenly unsure, Anna crept forward. Maybe Elsa was asleep already. It had been an exhausting day, and magic must surely be draining. Anna was certainly tired and sore. Or maybe she was just changing, and wanted some privacy. That must be it. Regardless of the reason, however, the fact remained that she needed Elsa, and a closed door wasn't going to stop her, not tonight. There was no reason for it to do so, not anymore.

In front of the door now, Anna raised her fist and gave her signature knock from their childhood. "Elsa?" Excitement and hope momentarily replaced the cold and fear she had been feeling just seconds ago. "Can I – "

"Go away, Anna!"

Silence fell, and Anna's words stuck in her throat, her hand suspended over the handle it had been about to turn. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out around the lump that had suddenly formed. She didn't know what she would have said anyways. 'I'm not afraid,' maybe? That hadn't gone over so well last time. She had been shot in the heart. 'Why' wasn't an option either. That was the question that had started this whole mess. 'You can't tell me what to do!' wasn't even worth considering, because obviously Elsa could, and should in fact. If Anna had only listened the first time, when she was warned about _him_, then…

"Goodnight," she whispered instead, but she knew that Elsa didn't hear it. It was barely more than a breath of air, an exhalation, but right now that was all she could manage. She didn't have the energy to be mad at the unfairness of it all, being frozen and then thawed really took it out of a person. Anna took a step back, and her hands wrapped around her middle as she closed her eyes. If she closed her eyes, she couldn't see the moonlight creeping like icy spikes through the deserted hallway. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine that it was Elsa hugging her, like she had done on the fjord earlier that day, and she could imagine that she wasn't alone anymore. If she closed her eyes, she wouldn't have to see the empty spaces that would need to be crossed between Elsa's door and hers.

She was just gathering the courage to move her foot in the direction of the stairs when she heard it. Hurried footsteps, the slap of bare feet on wood. They stumbled to a halt, and then there was a click and the creak of hinges that had seen too little use. Anna opened her eyes, and there was Elsa, standing framed in the doorway. Her face was pale, and there were dark shadows under her eyes. Anna wondered guiltily when she had last slept.

"Anna, I – I didn't mean it. Please come in. I'm sorry."

The door swung open further and that was all the invitation Anna needed. It didn't matter that the words sounded slightly forced, or that Elsa looked like she would rather not have let her little sister come in. A fire was burning in the grate, several torches were lit in their wall sconces, and three candles burned on the desk in the corner. It looked warm and inviting.

She hurried forward, stumbling slightly in her haste, and pretended not to notice when Elsa took a swift step to the side, remaining out of reach. As she walked further in, she looked around the unfamiliar room. There was the bed, a thick canopy hanging over it. The window seat looked well used, the frayed pillows in stark contrast with the polished floor, which looked somehow new. The desk sat across from the fireplace, several pieces of parchment strewn across it.

Anna turned to see that Elsa was still standing by the door, looking uncertain. Shadows flitted across her face from the torches, making it hard to tell exactly what she was thinking. Their eyes met, and Elsa took a step forward, clearing her throat.

"Feel free to make yourself comfortable. I have to finish writing a letter, but then we… that is, if you want to – I assume you wanted to… talk?"

"Y-yeah. I wanted to talk." _And I want to give you a hug, but you're way over there on the other side of the room_. "Is there a blanket I can use? And a – a hat, maybe?"

Elsa twitched, and her hands swung to clasp behind her back, her face loosing some more of it's color. "Of course. Are you cold?"

"No!" Anna cried, suddenly realizing her mistake. "No, I'm not… I mean, I am cold, but not because of you, Elsa! I'm not cold – I mean I am, but not… I'm just… never mind. Where did you say the blankets were?" She could feel her face heating up, but it was worth it to see her sister relax slightly. Elsa nodded towards her bed, the beginnings of a smile on her face. Her hands were still hidden behind her back.

Anna turned, and walked towards the trunk at the foot of the bed. Behind her, she heard Elsa making her way towards the desk. Opening the lid, she began to riffle through the blankets, looking for the warmest one. While the cold wasn't what it had been, her fingers and toes were still tingling rather unpleasantly, and every time she saw a shadow move in the corner of her eye she had to suppress a shiver.

Finally, she found the one she was looking for. She had one just like it, except for hers was green instead of blue, and the lining was silver instead of gold. They both had pink snowdrops embroidered along the edges. She stumbled slightly as she gave a tug, the blanket coming out easier than she had expected. Shaking it out, she draped it over her shoulders, turning triumphantly towards her sister. The blanket lay heavily over her like a cloak, warmth spreading in all directions.

Elsa's back was turned as she sat at her desk, her pen moving back and forth, pausing occasionally to gather more ink. Anna frowned, stepping closer. Elsa should be resting, not writing some random letter. Just as she was close enough that she thought she could make out who the letter was addressed to, Elsa turned, effectively blocking her view. Anna gave her a guilty look, which thankfully seemed to go unnoticed.

"You might find a hat in the dresser." Elsa said, and then let her gaze drop to the floor, Anna's eyes following. Her toes curling against the wood slats. "… and there's a pair of slippers by the bed." Elsa reached out her hand then, and Anna leaned towards it, holding her breath. It only brushed the blanket though, holding it briefly, before retreating back to her lap. Elsa raised her eyes and gave a soft smile, the crease between her eyes disappearing. "I'm almost finished, Anna. Go get warm by the fire. I'll be with you in a minute."

"Okay." Anna turned, walking softly towards the bed, a smile to match Elsa's across her lips. Looking down, she slid her feet into the felt slippers there, and then turned to make her way towards the dresser. Reaching it, she hesitated briefly. It felt wrong, somehow, to be looking through Elsa's belongings. _Well, she said I could, so here goes…_

The middle drawer on the left was pulled open, and Anna found herself frowning down at the contents. Gloves of various lengths and designs lay neatly folded before her, filling the drawer completely. Under any other circumstance, Anna would have begun to enthusiastically try on each pair, admiring the beauty and the detail that had clearly gone into the embroidery and beading. As it was, however, gloves – Elsa's gloves in particular – were currently on the list of things banned from Anna's life, residing alongside Princes of the Southern Isles, being turned into a popsicle, and closed doors. Mittens were okay, but gloves, especially fitted ones, were to make themselves scarce. Anna quickly closed the drawer, and tried the next one up.

To her relief, nothing undesirable appeared, and she found herself instead looking at what she had been searching for. Well, not quite. The drawer was half full, and contained only a handful of hats and bonnets, all of which looked stiff and hardly used at all. She knew what she was looking for, and none of these hats filled the qualifications. Anna wanted something warm and safe, something she could hide in if necessary. She wanted something that felt like Papa's hand on her head, or Mama's soft kiss in her hair. Kristoff's hat would have done nicely – it certainly had earlier – but she had returned it to him just after supper. He had left to check on Sven then, and hadn't returned.

Pushing the thought from her mind, Anna stood on tiptoe, reaching to the back of the drawer. She grinned, surprised when she felt soft wool, too thick to be one of the nicer ones folded near the front. Pulling it out, Anna let out a gasp when she saw what she held in her hand.

"You kept it!" she exclaimed, turning around, her eyes shining. The hat she held in her hand was a mix of clumsily knit bright oranges and reds, with liberal amounts of gold thread sewn enthusiastically throughout the finished product. The fact that it looked like a ball of fire pleased Anna to no end. That had, after all, been the goal when she had made it at the age of six. Gerda had helped a great deal, picking up dropped stitches and giving encouragement whenever the task had seemed too daunting. The resulting hat had been far bigger than expected, and Anna had wrapped it up and left it outside Elsa's door as a gift, not really believing that it would be appreciated, much less kept for over twelve years.

Grinning like mad, Anna dropped the hat over her head, letting the rim slide down over her eyes to rest on her nose. She was sure that it clashed horribly with her hair, and wondered briefly what her mother would have thought. A hastily thrown together outfit had never gone unnoticed, and Anna had often been on the receiving end of a scolding due to mismatched socks, or a vest that didn't match her skirt. Even her hair ties had been under scrutiny, and although it had never been mentioned, she was sure that the white streak that had been there for so many years had caused a good deal of trouble.

Lifting the brim of the hat up so that she could see, Anna noticed that Elsa had turned towards her at her exclamation, and was now watching her with an unreadable expression. She was good at those, Anna was quickly learning. She offered a small smile, and pressed a finger to her lips. 'I'll be quiet now,' she mouthed, and then made a show of tiptoeing over to the fireplace. As she sat down on the floor, she looked over her shoulder just in time to catch the fleeting smile on Elsa's face as she turned back to her desk, shoulders hunching as she leaned forwards. The pen resumed its scratching, and Anna turned back to the fire, pleased. Get Elsa to open her door? _Finally! C__heck_. Get Elsa to smile more? _Progressing quite nicely, thank you very much._

It wasn't long before Anna started to feel drowsy, the ticking of the mantle clock and the scratch of pen on paper reminding her of late nights in Kai's office, finishing homework. Although it had often been meant as punishment, she had enjoyed those nights. She wondered if Elsa had ever been forced to work under scrutiny, or if she had been a good student and turned in all her work on time.

The letter took much longer than a minute to write, and Anna was just wondering whether Elsa had forgotten about her (she was being _very_ quiet, just as she had promised) when there was the scrape of a chair, and then footsteps approaching.

A cool breeze tickled Anna's neck, somehow different from the chill of earlier. It was comforting. Red skirts appeared to her left, and then Elsa sank gracefully to the floor, drawing her knees up to her chin and not saying anything. Anna frowned, and shifted a little. There was at least an arms length between them.

The silence grew, and Elsa began to fiddle with something in her hands. Anna tilted her head, trying to get a better view without being too obvious. When she finally saw what it was, she wished she hadn't. The cold was back suddenly, starting somewhere near her heart and spreading outwards, subtle but persistent. In Elsa's hands was a pair of silk gloves, wadded together and unused, but there nonetheless. If things were different, she would have been wearing them.

They spoke at the same time. "Elsa – "

"Anna, listen, about earlier… I'm sorry." The gloves twisted between pale fingers, and Anna couldn't look away. "When I told you to go away, I didn't mean it. I – there are a lot of habits, a lot of rules that I've lived by for years now, and it's hard to forget, to just… let go." Fingernails dug into silk, and Anna tore her gaze away, up, to look at Elsa's face. The corners of her mouth were turned up, the ghost of smile. "But you're welcome here, Anna. You're my sister, and I don't want you to ever doubt that." Elsa's gaze met hers, and the smile disappeared. "You're not alone."

It was all too much. The cold, the gloves, the smile, the empty spaces, the pretending that everything was okay, that everything that had _happened_ was okay. The pretending that everything was fixed, and that there weren't monsters lurking, even now, in the shadows.

Anna reached up and brushed a tear away, and sniffed. Elsa stilled beside her, her gaze fixed now on the flames dancing in front of them.

"It – it's okay." Anna began, because she had to say something. The longer she waited, the more she would have to think, and right now that was the last thing she wanted to do. "I mean, yeah, I know. And you're forgiven, too." _Please forgive me._ She sniffed again, and under the guise of rearranging her blanket, scooted a little closer to Elsa. "Not that there's anything to forgive, but in case you were wondering… yeah. Anyway, we can work on this stuff together, right? Together?"

"We can now, can't we?" Elsa said, and the smile was back, although it seemed a little forced. Her hands sat still in front of her, and she let out a small sigh. "So, you wanted to talk?"

"Um…" Anna looked at the fire, trying to think of how to start. Admitting that she was scared was something she couldn't do. She hadn't been scared since she was five, not really, and now she was eighteen and far too old to be letting other people deal with her problems. At least, that was the theory. But this was Elsa, and she had always run to her when she was scared or upset, despite how many times she had been turned away.

Realizing that she was getting herself worked up, and that Elsa was waiting, Anna opened her mouth and said the first thing that came to mind.

"I had a nightmare."

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**More coming (hopefully soon). I hope you enjoyed! please R&R :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Being prepared was something Elsa had prepared for all her life. She had memorized whole books on law, she had written letter after letter as practice, and she had done sums and calculations until her head spun and she was sure that having a treasury wasn't worth the trouble. She had learned to argue, debate, placate, agree, agree (but not really), and make small talk. She knew royal lineage, heritage, who was entitled to what, and the entire line of succession if there was ever a kingdom wide regicide. She knew what cutlery to use when at the dinner table, she knew who sat first, she knew how to drink wine and eat the ever stranger dishes that were placed before her. She knew how to read contracts, negotiations, treaties, invitations, reports, essays, and any other kind of scripture that might be presented to her. She had spent weeks rehearsing for formal occasions that she wouldn't attend for years, and months had been dedicated to the coronation.

"I had a nightmare."

Yet somehow, she wasn't prepared for this. There was no script, there were no guidelines. Years ago, she would have known what to do. Years ago, she had known so much more. Her only guide now was the ghost of an eight year-old, whispering forgotten words and offering comforts which, until recently, would have been considered impossible.

_ '__Don't __wake up__ Mama and Papa, Anna. They need their rest. Come __over to my bed__. I'll make sure the monsters can't get you. You'll be safe with me, I promise.'_

Elsa's fingers tightened around the gloves held between them, taking small comfort from the familiar silkiness, the cool fabric slithering between her palms. She remembered when she had gotten her first pair, how happy she had been. They had been enough then. They had given her hope, and she couldn't forget that, despite how much she wished she had known then what she knew now.

A sigh to her right startled her out of her reverie, and Anna said in a small voice, "It doesn't matter. Anyway, so… um, I was thinking about tomorrow. It's going to to be really fun, we're finally going out into the city. I was thinking we could stay out, you know, a little after the tour. Maybe we could pack a picnic lunch, or an afternoon meal, and we could– or, actually, we could buy something from one of the little shops! I don't remember where it is, but there was this one that I really liked, it had a little castle diorama inside and I always liked to imagine that there were little people living inside, and that maybe I was in there too. I think… we only went there twice." She gave what could have been a laugh, then continued. "Mama always used to get so embarrassed when we were in town, do you remember? She didn't like everyone bowing to her, and the shop owners we visited would get flustered too, trying to remember their etiquette. I think you and I were the only ones who really enjoyed those trips."

"Yes, I remember. That was Ute's Cafe and Gift Shop. We could ask our driver to take us there." Elsa knew that Anna wasn't okay, and that whatever nightmare she had mentioned earlier still frightened her. She gave herself a mental slap in the face for not saying something sooner, before Anna decided to change the subject.

"Yeah, Ute's, that's right. The owner had this thing about not touching the glass display case for the pastries. It drove me nuts." Anna got a funny look on her face. "I got upset, and you told me it was made of ice, and that if I touched it, it would melt. I think I believed you."

"Mmhm. It was true." The words came so naturally to her, Elsa didn't even realize what she'd said until she saw the shocked look Anna was giving her. She blinked and rephrased, smiling. "I'm _kidding_, Anna. It was made of glass, and she didn't want our grubby hands smudging it. That's all."

The answering grin could have lit a thousand candles, and Elsa felt renewed warmth spreading through her. Anna reached up to push the hat out of her eyes and shifted her legs under the blanket. Elsa looked down, and noted curiously that their flickering shadows now touched. They hadn't a minute ago.

"That was amazing!" Anna breathed, and Elsa looked up just in time to see her sister's face go bright red. "I mean, that would be amazing. Going to the bakery." She reached up to rub her eyes, and a yawn escaped. "You know what, Elsa? We should do this every night. Just talk, you know? Get to know each other again. This was perfect."

"That would be nice. It's getting late, though. Maybe you should go to bed." Elsa said gently, watching as Anna seemed to melt into her blanket, her grin replaced by a sleepy, somewhat lost look. Her face had quickly lost it's previous color, and was now a soft orange in the firelight. "You look tired, and it's been an exhausting day." And if Anna didn't want to talk about nightmares, Elsa wouldn't pry. It wasn't her place.

Anna didn't say anything, only turned her head to look at Elsa's door before letting the hat slide over her face. She didn't move it back. Elsa looked at her door as well, and felt a momentary stab of panic run through her when she saw that it was pulled slightly open. Frost spread across her gloves and she closed her eyes, holding her breath. _No, breathe. It's okay now. The door can be open._ _It's okay_. She let her breath out in a whoosh, and opened her eyes again to look at the fire. Her gloves were damp as she began to pull one on, then stopped and took it off again, stretching the soft fabric. She looked at Anna, but she could barely see her little sister anymore. She seemed to have become one with the blanket, and only two ginger braids could be seen poking out from under the fiery hat.

Elsa pursed her lips. She wouldn't pry, but she had to make sure. Something was wrong – the silence said that much – and maybe Anna was just looking for an invitation.

"Are you okay?" In another time, Elsa could imagine herself reaching over and giving Anna a little poke, trying to get a reaction. Now she just fiddled with her gloves, trying to dissipate the anxiety she could feel pooling in her chest. _You don't need to be perfect, __y__ou just need to be enough_. Her father had said that once. If only she could truly believed it.

"Yeah, mmfnn. Grnnt." The second half of the reply was lost to the blanket and poor diction, but Elsa had heard enough to make her frown. Just as she was considering whether or not that poke would be worth it, Anna sat up slightly, and turned in her general direction. It was hard to tell, because the hat still fell almost to her chin. It really was quite big. Reaching up, Anna pushed the hat so that one eye was just visible, and said, "No. I changed my mind. Elsa, why do you have those?"

"Why do I – oh." Elsa followed her sister's gaze and her eyes locked onto her own hands, between which were clasped her gloves. _That backfire__d__. I guess we're talking about me now_. She once again found herself at a loss for words, and had to fight the urge to pull on the gloves and dismiss Anna. She couldn't keep hiding, and running away was an equally bad option. Instead, she forced herself to smile. _Tell the truth. You need to trust her, and now would be a good time to start._

"These are the pair I was given to sleep in. They're comfortable, and not stiff like the leather ones. They're quite strong, despite how frail they look." Elsa felt her smile slip into a grimace as she turned the gloves over. That hadn't been what Anna was asking, and they both knew it.

Elsa could feel cold prickling through her, and tried valiantly to ignore it, and to not be afraid. If she said more, and answered the question that had really been asked, she knew Anna would be more upset than she already was, and that wasn't what she wanted. Not at all. If she was going to help her sister, however, she needed to know what was going on, and in order for her to do that, Anna needed to start talking.

Elsa felt herself relaxing as she realized what she needed to do. She was a queen now, and a big sister again, and one duty that fell under both titles was that of role model in chief. Surprisingly, it had been Gerda who had taught her that lesson, when she had been six years old. It had been repeated over the years by almost everyone she knew, but it had been Gerda who had really made the message sink in. At the time of the incident, Anna had been three and wouldn't stop making a mess of Elsa's sand castles. In a fit of anger and impatience, Elsa had punched her. The result had been a time out for the rest of the day (which now seemed ridiculous) and a very stern talking to. Future rulers didn't punch their sisters, no matter how mad they were. What would the other little girls think?

Ice crystals began to form at the tips of Elsa's fingers. She wasn't used to opening up, and it was making her nervous. Anna hadn't said anything, and she realized with a start that her little sister knew her better than she had originally thought. She was waiting, as she had done for years.

"They make me feel safe." Elsa finally said, her voice coming out quieter and more vulnerable than she would have liked. She cleared her throat and tried again, not daring to look at her blanket clad sister. Was it really that cold? "Like that blanket you had when you were little. I don't know if you remember, but you used to hide behind it every time we read a scary book. Every time you were afraid. These… they're just a precaution. I hadn't planned on using them, but one never knows. Just in case."

Anna's breathing, steady until now, hitched slightly, and she blurted out "CanIgiveyouahug?"

"Sorry?" Elsa finally looked up, and the crystals fell from her fingertips, shattering on the floor. Anna's face was pale, the freckles standing out in the the firelight, and she was so close that Elsa could have reached out and touched her without having to stretch. That hadn't been the case when she'd sat down.

"Can I – can I give you a hug? Because, you got to hug me on the fjord, and then there was, like, a mutual hugging on the boat, b-but _I_ never got the chance to hug _you_ and it's n-not fair…"

Anna looked like she was about to start crying. Elsa shifted slightly and smiled, and opened her arms. Anna launched herself blanket and all into them, and it was all Elsa could do to keep from toppling over.

"And I'm not letting go, o-okay? Because… I don't want this all to have been a dream, and I don't want you to… to disappear again."

Elsa clenched her hands into fists, not really returning the hug. She was afraid that as soon as she placed her hands against Anna's back, frost would appear and spread outward, covering them. As the seconds ticked by, however, nothing happened, and she slowly relaxed. She cautiously returned the hug, and despite how fast her heart was beating, nothing happened. There was no frost, no ice crystals. Only warmth spread between them.

"Was that your nightmare?" She finally asked, "That I'd shut you out again?"

There was a sniff, and Anna slowly let go, releasing Elsa from her crushing hug. She didn't move away though, and didn't really let go either. Instead she leaned over, resting her head on Elsa's shoulder. "Yeah. And no. I should have…" her voice dropped to a whisper, and Elsa could barely hear it. "I should have listened to you. I just… he was so nice. We were going to get married."

"Oh." Elsa said quietly, because what else could she say? Hans had been awful, but for all his faults, Anna had loved him. He had swept in, promised everything good in life, everything Anna had always wanted, and then crushed her, utterly and completely.

"And you know, I was really excited. I was going to dress all in white, all the villagers would have been invited, the gates would have been open, and all his brothers would have been there, and you, of course. You would have been there too. But – but then he had to say all those awful things, and leave me alone, and he was going to k-kill you. I couldn't stop him. And I can't stop hearing it, either. The s-sword, I mean. And it's not all the time, but when I'm scared, like tonight when everything was empty, I started to feel really c-cold, and it was like it was happening all over again, and then you had to – your door was shut, but then you let me in. And that was good. Not part of the nightmare, I mean. I liked that bit." Anna let out a shaky laugh. "I'm not making much sense. I didn't really have a nightmare, because I wasn't ever asleep, but it just – it seemed so real, you know? Like the clock struck twelve and everything was happening all over again."

Elsa closed her eyes, and in her minds eye saw a little girl, jumping. "I know, Anna. It's okay, I understand." She twisted her arm, and brushed Anna's hair with her fingertips, just like Mama had done so many years ago. "It wasn't your fault." She had said that, too, and Elsa hadn't believed her. She still didn't, but she wanted Anna to, now. "You couldn't have stopped him. He would have killed you."

"He went to kill _you_. He's still here…" _He still could_. The words went unsaid, but they hung in the air like smoke. So this was what Anna had been getting at, all this time. They were keeping a monster chained in the dungeons, and she was afraid he would escape.

Elsa breathed out, and frost coated her knees. She would have to be careful with what she said next, or Anna wouldn't believe her.

"The Royal Guard is loyal to the kingdom of Arendelle." She began, and paused, waiting to see if Anna would contradict her. She didn't, and it was then that Elsa remembered that she likely had no idea of what had transpired at the ice castle after she had left. That certainly made things easier now, but it would make for a difficult conversation later. "As long as I am Queen, they are loyal to me. And as long as I am Queen, the Royal Gaurd will be given orders to never let Prince Hans set foot freely within the kingdom of Arendelle."

Anna didn't say anything, but her breathing was steady now, and she seemed considerably more relaxed then when she had been talking. Elsa took this as a good sign, and didn't say anything else. As the seconds ticked by, and Anna stayed silent, she found herself growing drowsy. The fire was burning low in the grate, and the chill of night was slowly creeping through the room. Her left hand held her gloves loosely, and her right was draped over Anna's shoulder, in the remnants of a hug. It had been a long day, and her sleepless nights were catching up with her. Her eyes fluttered shut.

– A pounding on her door startled Elsa awake, and she turned, careful not to dislodge Anna from her shoulder. She waited expectantly for the arrival to announce themselves, but only heavy knocking met her ears. She vaguely recognized the sound, but couldn't put a face to it.

"The door is unlocked," she called softly. "You may enter."

The door swung open, and a man stood silhouetted in the frame. He stepped forward, and Elsa's heart stopped. His uniform was the deep red of Weselton, and in his hands he held a crossbow. He had it aimed at her heart.

"Your sister is dead."

The arrow was aimed not at Elsa, but at Anna, asleep beside her.

"No – " Elsa raised her hands, but it was too late. The arrow flew past her and embedded itself in Anna's chest. "NO!" Elsa screamed, her hands darting forward, but she couldn't stop it as her magic – her curse – surged forward, transforming the arrow into a dagger made of ice.

"Your sister is dead, because of you." –

Elsa's head snapped up from where it had been resting against Anna's. The fire had gone out, along with the torches, and the room was completely dark, and completely still. It took a minute for her to realize why, and when she did, she felt like she was going to be sick. Frost covered everything, and snow hung in the air, drifting lazily to form small piles on the ground. Elsa would have scrambled to her feet if Anna hadn't been leaning so heavily against her. Trying to still her trembling body, she took a deep breath and released it, barely able to see the mist in the weak moonlight.

"Anna," she whispered, and then shook her sister, her heart in her throat. _Not again… _"Anna!"

"Mmrg. What."

"You should go back to your room." Elsa couldn't stop shaking, but at least a part of it was now from relief. "You need sleep."

"I was asleep." Anna grumbled, and then yawned, blinking her eyes blearily.

Elsa stood, and then offered her hand to Anna. Anna grasped it and stumbled to her feet, clutching the blanket around her shoulders. The hat slid over her eyes, and she let go to push it up again.

When they were at the door Anna paused, and turned back to Elsa. Her nose was red, and her blanket and hat covered in frost. She didn't seem to have noticed, and for that Elsa was grateful. Anna would either be worried or afraid, and Elsa didn't think she could deal with either at the moment.

"Will you keep your door open? Please?" Anna looked like she was about to fall asleep where she stood. Elsa didn't say anything, thinking of the frost behind her. "It only has to be a little bit." Anna reached out and her fingers wrapped around Elsa's wrist. "I'll keep mine open, too. In case you need anything. You don't need to knock."

"Go to bed, Anna. You're tired. You need sleep." Anna didn't move, and her hand stayed firmly wrapped around Elsa's. Elsa closed her eyes, and didn't see the frost, ice, or snow. She only felt Anna's hand on hers. "I'll keep it open." When she opened her eyes, Anna was smiling sleepily, and the cold was gone. Elsa felt the corners of her mouth rise. She had stopped trembling.

"Goodnight." Anna said, and then turned, walking softly down the hall. Her footsteps faded as she rounded the corner, and Elsa was left alone, listening to her own quiet breathing. She took a step back, and then turned towards her bed. The door stayed open behind her.

She had barely slept the night before the coronation, and last night had only managed a few restless hours. Her hands fumbled with the buttons on her dress, and it took a few tries before she was able to slip out of it and into her nightgown, her hands shaking now with fatigue.

Crawling under the covers, Elsa could only hope that she would be too exhausted to dream again. She and Anna were going into town the next day, and she would need a clear head in order to set things straight. She turned on her side, and saw her gloves where they had been forgotten by the fireplace. Beyond them, the door was set ajar, and a faint glow from the hall torches spread into the room. She smiled.

_Maybe it's not too late_, Elsa thought, her eyes closing. _We don't need to be perfect. Only enough._ Later, they would have to talk about the hard things, like missed funerals and snow monsters and memories. Tonight, however, forgiveness and a door set ajar were enough.

* * *

**This story is complete. I hope it was what you were looking for! :) R&R**


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